All Chapters of The Billionaire's Forgotten Bride : Chapter 231 - Chapter 240

Chapter 231The Palace of Versailles. Paris, France.The Hall of Mirrors was a blinding symphony of excess. Thousands of candles flickered in crystal chandeliers, reflecting off the seventeen massive mirrored arches that lined the gilded gallery. The elite of global society monarchs, tech barons, and shadow-brokers mingled beneath the painted ceilings, sipping champagne that cost more than most people earned in a lifetime.It was the coronation of a new world order.The engagement of Ethan Cole to Lady Victoria meant the merging of Aegis Global’s unparalleled technological supremacy with the ancient, limitless wealth of the House of Sterling-Monarch.Standing near the center of the hall, Ethan played the part flawlessly.He wore a bespoke, midnight-black tuxedo tailored to perfection, exuding an aura of dominant, terrifying authority. Lady Victoria clung possessively to his arm, looking radiant in a crimson silk gown, flashing her massive, blood-red diamond ring to the press photograp

Chapter 233*London. The Sterling-Monarch Estate.*The freezing London downpour felt like a barrage of icy needles against Ethan Cole’s skin, but he didn't shiver. Clinging to the slick, ancient slate roof of the Sterling-Monarch estate, dressed entirely in matte-black tactical stealth gear, his body was utterly perfectly still. Every breath he took sent a sharp, phantom ache radiating through his fractured ribs a lingering souvenir from Victoria’s dungeon just days ago. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the apocalyptic agony tearing at his soul. Zara hated him. He had seen it in her brilliant blue eyes when he handed her the divorce papers. He had felt her heart shatter when he publicly humiliated her at the Versailles gala. He had done his job perfectly. He had become the monster she always feared he was, all to satisfy the sadistic demands of the Sterling-Monarch bloodline. But as the freezing rain soaked through his combat harness, Ethan’s grip on the stone parapet

Chapter 235Zara stood ten feet away, illuminated by the harsh overhead lights. She was wearing a long, sweeping silk robe over her nightgown, her dark hair messy from sleep. She looked exhausted, her beautiful face pale and drawn, a physical testament to the toll the dormant virus was already taking on her body. But despite her frailty, her stance was flawless. She gripped the Glock 19 with both hands, her arms extended perfectly straight. The barrel of the gun was aimed dead center at Ethan’s heart. "Put the vial down," Zara ordered, her finger tightening visibly on the trigger. "Or I swear to God, Ethan, I will put a bullet through your chest."Ethan didn't lower the vial. His mind raced, calculating a thousand impossible scenarios in a fraction of a second. He glanced upward, his sharp gray eyes instantly spotting the tiny, microscopic red light blinking in the corner of the ceiling molding. A hidden audio bug. Victoria’s watchdogs were listening. They had bugged Zara’s apar

Chapter 237The next morning, the Parisian sun struggled to pierce the heavy gray clouds.Zara sat on the edge of an examination table in a secure, underground private clinic utilized by Obsidian Horizon. She held her silk robe tightly around her shoulders, her mind a chaotic whirlwind.Dr. Aris, a top-tier European hematologist Marcus had hired, walked into the room holding a glowing tablet."Well, Ms. Cole," Dr. Aris said, adjusting his glasses, a look of profound bewilderment on his face. "I have run your blood through every mass spectrometer in the facility. Twice."Zara tensed. "Did you find a toxin? What did he give me?""I didn't find a toxin," Dr. Aris replied, shaking his head. "I found a graveyard."Zara frowned. "A graveyard?""Ms. Cole," the doctor handed her the tablet. "Your blood contained trace amounts of a dormant, genetically engineered retrovirus. It’s a pathogen designed specifically to attack the vascular system upon the sudden influx of HCG pregnancy hormones. It

Chapter 239The heavy, metallic scent of blood and cordite filled the sub-basement of the Monarch Estate, but as Ethan held Zara in his arms, the world outside ceased to exist.For five agonizing weeks, he had lived in a suffocating, self-imposed hell, forcing the woman he loved more than life itself to hate him. Now, feeling her arms wrapped fiercely around his battered torso, the crushing weight on his soul finally fractured."You’re bleeding," Zara whispered, pulling back just enough to inspect the deep gash above his eye. Her hands, usually so steady in boardrooms and gunfights, trembled violently. "Ethan, your ribs...""I'm fine," Ethan rasped, forcing a faint, arrogant smirk despite the agonizing pain radiating through his chest. He reached up, his bloody thumb gently wiping a tear from her cheek. "I’ve survived worse. But you... you are radiant, Mrs. Cole."Zara let out a watery, broken laugh, pressing her forehead against his chest. "I’m not Mrs. Cole anymore. You divorced me,